"JiaXing!"Chenglei screamed and held Xing in his arms as she slumped down. He was startled that she suddenly became unconscious and he became frantic forgetting where he was. He patted her cheeks in an attempt it wake her up.
He was just turning to leave and why did she suddenly fell down? And why isn"t she waking up?
"Take her in, boy", the authoritative voice of the Tians.h.i.+ Emperor made Chenglei aware of where he was.
"My wife, she..."
"She is fine. Just sleeping. Get her in",he walked towards them and his hands gently caressed her hair with his face softened to a smile.
He slightly p.r.i.c.ked her finger and a small drop of blood appeared along with the Divine Sword. This sword once belonged to him and now it took her as it"s master and he needed the sword for now.
Chenglei who looked closely at the greatest Emperor of their Kingdom who is the ancestor of his wife and he couldn"t help but stare at him, surprised at the uncanny resemblance between them both.
Then he noticed his eyes turning towards him getting dangerous devoid of any gentleness that painted his face as he looked at her.
"If you are aware she is your wife, you should be treating her well"
It was just a simple advice but Chenglei felt like he was being threatened by the aura emitted by the man looming above him. If he stood, he would be taller than him but his aura was so imposing and overbearing that he felt little in front of him. His guilt towards his wife didn"t help him too. He knew the Tians.h.i.+ Emperor had every right to tear him to pieces for the way he treated his wife.
He bowed his head as he nodded and held his kneeling position. Only when the Tians.h.i.+ Emperor turned to leave did he exhaled in relief.
"Poor la.s.s! She wanted to help", Bai Li shook his head in disapproval. "It"s always those she trusts the most who hurt her the most", he mumbled. He knew she"d be hurt by this refusal.
" And the barriers are still up even though she is sleeping?", Bai Li was surprised by her strength. But he couldn"t understand why this guy is so focused on not involving her. With her strength she will end this dark one easily.
"Hmmm", he sighed internally, " I don"t want to involve that la.s.s either"
Tians.h.i.+ Emperor didn"t reply him. He knew Bai Li had grown a lot attached to this descendant of his as he spent more time with her. But, He had other plans. This situation should be handled by himself. He has brought enough troubles for that descendant of his till now. She shouldn"t be involved anymore.
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Of course, Tians.h.i.+ Emperor didn"t consider that she would have misunderstood that it was Chenglei who immobilised her and not her Master Yuan.
Chenglei saw the fight getting serious with the divine sword and he picked up Xing and got inside her house and locked the door and all the windows after placing her on the bed. He didn"t care what happened outside. As long as she is safe and he is with her he"d give up anything.
As he lied beside her as the evening had become darker after lighting up some lanterns for light, he couldn"t help but plant a kiss on her lips as she was in deep slumber.
But he couldn"t stop but think about what she said back then to that G.o.d of death. He also realised that no one was surprised to see him with her. Even her father looked relieved when he asked for her hand and put no opposition as he expected. Also, She never introduced him to anyone till now, even to G.o.ds. They all knew him and we"re accustomed seeing her with him.
Could we have known each other before?
Before he knew it, he slept by her side.
---
Meanwhile in the Imperial Palace, the Emperor who was taking care of the memorials, looked outside and he felt something odd in the mountains. He could sense something bad was going on. The double sword he had in his table vibrated restlessly and Mo Chen was nowhere to be found.
After sending Ah Xuan to his courtyard, he walked to the temple to have a talk with Priestess Shu. As eccentric she is, he liked talking with her. There are only a very few people around him, who he could let his guard down and she was one of them.
In the small room built for her inside the temple, he met her.
" You here to steal my porridge, your Majesty?", she asked with a playful smile. Something he doesn"t get to see a lot these days. When he spends time here, he could understand how there could be pure friends.h.i.+p between two people of opposite genders.
" My stomach cannot take that concoction of ingredients you hand-picked. Enjoy yourself by all means", he pulled the chair and sat visibly cringing.
He is no rabbit to eat all vegetables!
"Can you feel the disturbance?", he asked playing with the incense burner. She liked some weird scent that brought him headaches. He poured water and snuffed it out and the priestess got up and slapped his hand with a frown in her face.
" There is a heavy barrier around the mountain. I couldn"t contact the G.o.ds either. Then again they won"t answer me if she is available",there was a little dejection in her voice. "So where is she?", she took a deep breath as if swallowing the fact and asked opening the incense burner, and wiping it.
"In her Manor, where else?", he answered and stood up.
No one knew that the couple is now in the West and she is currently immobilised and there is a war going on.
" The stars are ominous. This is a night where a dragon falls", she said and the Emperor who was walking towards the door paused his steps.
A dragon will fall?
My sons?
He froze. The kids are too young.
The Priestess is useless in solutions but everything she predicted came to pa.s.s. That added to his worries.
"An adult one", she added.
The Emperor who was standing with his face pale closed his eyes and breathed out in relief.
So it is me.
As long as my sons and daughter are safe! Rest will be taken care of by my brother and Mingxia.
As he walked out of the temple and towards his courtyard, he a.s.sured the children are well protected.
So this is how I end?
He patted his chest.
Fine! At least I have lived a better life than my original fate!
He walked with a smile towards his courtyard.
And just then he saw the courtyard with lights still on.
"Is this Consort Jiang"s place?", he asked the eunuch following him and he affirmed it.
He had been only seeing her often and never once visited her courtyard. It"s been months since she entered the palace.
He had met her once when he was taking a walk in the garden rather unexpectedly or she might have arranged for it. But ever since then he couldn"t keep his eyes off of her. She could locate her always in the midst of his other concubines even if she hides herself pretty well.
He had seen her plenty of times with Ah Xuan and he"d talk about her too and that only aroused his suspicions. He kept himself away from her till now. But in the New year"s banquet he saw Mingxia having a favourable opinion about her and he wondered if she is genuine like his heart says.
As he was thinking about her, without knowing he was walking towards the courtyard. When he realised what he is doing, the Emperor smiled by himself.
He never spent much time with her, yet he handed the Phoenix Seal to her and when he learnt he might die tonight, he wants to spend it there?
There was a weird feeling bubbling in his heart and he couldn"t put a finger in what it was.
One thing he felt was guilt that he is not going to spend the last day in earth with his children.
As he entered the modest courtyard, he could see the servants relaxing around with only a little guards watching over.
It seemed like no one expects him there and they were all minding their own business.
A maid noticed the Emperor entering and almost dropped the big tray of meat down.
What was that for? He wondered and waved her off and she knelt and still was reluctant to leave.
*Growl*
The low grumble of Mo Chen was heard followed by screams of some women, probably maids.
He is here? What is going on inside?
Even though he knew Mo Chen won"t attack anyone, he hurried his steps inside.
The maids inside were all surprised seeing him there and immediately knelt without making a sound.
There he saw... The elegant and gentle pure Consort... In her undergarments...
His view was more... Lovely, he might say.
She was on her knees and shaking her derriere trying to get to Mo Chen who was sitting majestically like the proud cat he is. And seeing his master he just gave the look and started licking his paws.
"Here kitty... Kitty.... Get this...", she was shaking a silk yarn ball in her hand and her behind was following her unbeknownst to her as she got closer to Mo Chen.
The Emperor could not shake this surprise yet he was pleased.... A lot!
Is this really Consort Jiang?
The maids tried to get her but the Emperor placed his finger over his mouth now controlling his laughter and waved all of the maids out.
"Xuxu... Is that you?", she extended her hands without even looking back.
"Give me the meat! He"ll come closer. I want to touch this pretty cat... Ah! How cute.... Look he is licking his paws now... Come on! Give it", she stood straight, placing her hand in the small of her back.
"Aww,that hurts", she stretched herself.
"Xuxu! Give me...", she turned and she saw the Emperor standing and froze for a second before composing herself and gave a curtsey greeting the Emperor.
"You are looking good, Consort Jiang", the Emperor walked towards her with a smirk and she blinked for sometime trying to figure out what is going on and only then she realised that she was half-naked in front of the Emperor.
Her entire face turned red and she covered herself awkwardly, "I....I "ll get dressed... Ex-excuse me, your majesty", she turned fl.u.s.tered and walked towards her bedchamber.
"Not excused ", the Emperor who was in a really good mood seeing her like that forgetting what the priestess told him some moments ago uttered playfully.
"Uh- I... Your Majesty.... I...", Consort Jiang turned to look at him with her hands covering her chest fearing if the Emperor is actually angry. She might lose her life for this.
Seriously! Who"d run around inside their courtyard half-naked in the inner palace? I"m doomed, she was shaking. But she gathered her courage and decided to face the music.
"Pff", the Emperor could not hold back his laughter seeing her turning back stiff like a wooden doll.
"I don"t mind looking at that!", he pointed at her and she gritted her teeth trying to control herself.
I was played!
Puffing up her cheeks, she ran inside and the Emperor waited for her to come out. The Emperor shooed Mo Chen away.
When she came out wearing proper clothes, she had that usual elegant and poise he is used to see in her.
So is her clothes her mask? He wondered. Reminds me of someone else who turned to a playboy wearing men"s clothes!
After having dinner there with her acting normal like what happened previously didn"t happen.
Realising the Emperor"s intention to stay the night here, the eunuch brought the Emperor"s change of clothes there and after a bath he changed to more comfortable clothes.
The pure Consort was just waiting for the Emperor in the bedchamber for the Emperor"s arrival and he entered and the first thing he did was closing the curtains after waving the servants off.
Even then he noticed and got surprised that she is not getting fl.u.s.tered as if what he does is normal. Then it dawned in his brain that what he does IS normal since she is his wife and it is her duty to serve him.
I"m the Emperor and this is the inner palace!
Somehow his heart filled with a little sadness but he shrugged it off and sat beside her.
Just for a day, Junjie! Just for a day!
"Tell me about yourself", he said leaning on the headboard and picking up a bunch of grapes on the table to eat.
Seeing the Emperor"s leisurely mood, the Consort told him about her childhood.
Turns out, she was a wild child until her mother died and afterwards, she didn"t have a good life in her Manor since she was just a concubine"s daughter and later the Earth Emperor decided to send her here and she came here rather enthusiastically as she could escape her family.
The Emperor patted to his side asking her to lie down and she lied with her back straight and hands crossed at her chest, rigidly.
The Emperor didn"t mind and lied beside her asking for more of her stories.
There was peace, there was calmness, there was a gentle laughter that tickled his heart as she spoke and laughed.
Indeed! This night is worth it! I can rest happily!
Before they knew it time pa.s.sed and without knowing both of them fell asleep.
Time pa.s.sed as the Dark night filled with many secrets turned slightly bright signalling the rising of the sun and the arrival of the next morning.
The Consort who was awake first turned to her side to see the perfect outline of the handsome man lying beside her. She wanted to touch him but she feared that she might face consequences.
His long lashes were curled upwards and his tall nose was perfect and his lips... Wow!
She never thought when she left her home country that she"d be married to this handsome man. She knew the Emperor was young but she knew he loved his wife dearly and she would have no chance of love. She was prepared for living a modest life in the inner palace without causing any ripples.
She won"t lie though! The first time she saw the Emperor walking with Mo Chen by his side, she fell in love immediately. But she knew it was useless and she hid it deep inside her heart.
When she got the phoenix seal, she was surprised and still she didn"t let her heart in her sleeve and let her mind wander.
But now, with the man in her heart near her, her heart raced.
But she knew she has to not get her hopes up.
This is the inner palace where there will be no love!
She looked at him in deep slumber looking so peaceful.
Eh! Is he breathing...?